'Botched' surgeons fix nose job gone horribly wrong

On Botched, 42-year-old Kelli Johnson was once an aspiring model, but was convinced that to make it in the modeling business she needed to get a nose job. But it was a decision that would end her career. “My nose is turnt up, but not like the club,” she said.

After her first surgery, Johnson knew something was wrong. She said, “First of all, there was a piece of cartilage sticking out. He kept telling me, ‘Oh, it’s just swelling. Don’t worry.’ But I knew something was wrong because my nostrils were different sizes and shapes. I was mortified.”

Dr. Paul Nassif had a plan of action for her nose. To start, he would harvest a piece of one of her ribs and take composite grafts from her ear and fascia from her left temple. He would then open up her nose and give her a better airway. Finally, he planned to wrap the cartilage, fascia, and rib up and use it to build up the bridge and lower her nostrils. He described the cartilage, fascia, and rib combo as a “burrito, or a grape leaf, because I’m Middle Eastern.” Johnson said, “Whatever — burrito, grape leaves. I don’t care if you have to use a tampon. Just fix it.”

Once Nassif was able to get all the elements necessary for her surgery, he was able to fix Johnson’s nose —and she couldn’t have been happier.